Under normal working conditions, a workman, when working on a scaffold, catwalk or other devices positioned in a relatively high place where a fall could result in serious injury, will wear some type of a safety device. One such device is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,444,957 to R. G. Ervin, Jr. which discloses a safety harness having a folded web which has been stitched together and which is adapted to be ripped apart in checking the fall of a workman. Another type of device is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,996 to J. E. Sharp which discloses a safety harness having a free reach of webbing that is pulled through a three bar slide to provide the necessary resistance to decelerate the fall. While these devices have performed satisfactorily, the industry is continuously looking for better devices to ensure that a workman escapes injury in the event of a fall. A desirable device is one that is small in size so that the workman will not be hindered in his working efforts; that will not cause a severe initial shock; that will apply a uniform force of sufficient magnitude so that the fall will be decelerated to a complete stop without a final severe shock; and that cannot be incorrectly attached to cooperating structures.